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The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow
Are you the type of leader people want to follow? You can be—but first, you’ve got to understand what sets great leaders apart from all the rest.
Certainly, leaders need people skills, execution skills, a deep knowledge of industry trends, the ability to articulate a vision, and more—they must be competent—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What’s below the waterline? What’s deep inside the best leaders that makes them different?
Mark Miller contends it is their leadership character. In his latest enlightening and entertaining business fable, he describes the five unique character traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them.
The Heart of Leadership begins with young and ambitious Blake Brown being passed over for a desperately wanted promotion, despite an outstanding individual performance. Confused and frustrated, he turns to his former mentor, Debbie Brewster. Rather than attempting to solve Blake’s problem for him, she sends him on a quest to meet with five of his late father’s colleagues, each of whom holds a piece of the puzzle he’s trying to solve.
As Blake puts the pieces together, he discovers that in the final analysis, a lack of skills isn’t what holds most leaders back; skills are too easy to learn. Without demonstrated leadership character, however, a skill set will never be enough. Most often, when leaders fail to reach their full potential, it is an issue of the heart. This is Blake’s ultimate revelation.
This book shows us that leadership needn’t be the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions around the world. The Heart of Leadership is a road map for every person who desires to make a difference in the lives of others and become a leader people want to follow.
Certainly, leaders need people skills, execution skills, a deep knowledge of industry trends, the ability to articulate a vision, and more—they must be competent—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What’s below the waterline? What’s deep inside the best leaders that makes them different?
Mark Miller contends it is their leadership character. In his latest enlightening and entertaining business fable, he describes the five unique character traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them.
The Heart of Leadership begins with young and ambitious Blake Brown being passed over for a desperately wanted promotion, despite an outstanding individual performance. Confused and frustrated, he turns to his former mentor, Debbie Brewster. Rather than attempting to solve Blake’s problem for him, she sends him on a quest to meet with five of his late father’s colleagues, each of whom holds a piece of the puzzle he’s trying to solve.
As Blake puts the pieces together, he discovers that in the final analysis, a lack of skills isn’t what holds most leaders back; skills are too easy to learn. Without demonstrated leadership character, however, a skill set will never be enough. Most often, when leaders fail to reach their full potential, it is an issue of the heart. This is Blake’s ultimate revelation.
This book shows us that leadership needn’t be the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions around the world. The Heart of Leadership is a road map for every person who desires to make a difference in the lives of others and become a leader people want to follow.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
135 people are currently reading
1391 people want to read
About the author
Mark Miller
25 books121 followersMy career at Chick-fil-A began over forty years ago as an hourly team member in one of the local restaurants. Shortly thereafter, I became the sixteenth corporate employee — my first job: working in the warehouse. Since that day, I have worked all across the business from starting our Corporate Communications group and our Quality & Customer Satisfaction Team to leading in Restaurant Operations, Training & Development, Leadership Development and more!
For the last twenty years, I have focused much of my time on serving leaders, helping them grow themselves, their teams, and their organizations. In addition to my role at Chick-fil-A, I’ve also had the privilege to teach and lead in not-for-profit organizations domestically and globally. Although the context is different in every organization, the problems have common roots and so do the solutions.
Along the way, I have been fortunate to author (and co-author) a few books – eight and counting. Today, more than a million books are in print in 25+ languages. My approach to writing has always been to find what is true in principle and figure out how to make it applicable to the real world.
For the last twenty years, I have focused much of my time on serving leaders, helping them grow themselves, their teams, and their organizations. In addition to my role at Chick-fil-A, I’ve also had the privilege to teach and lead in not-for-profit organizations domestically and globally. Although the context is different in every organization, the problems have common roots and so do the solutions.
Along the way, I have been fortunate to author (and co-author) a few books – eight and counting. Today, more than a million books are in print in 25+ languages. My approach to writing has always been to find what is true in principle and figure out how to make it applicable to the real world.
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June 4, 2019
This book is written by Mark Miller, currently Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness for Chick Fil-A. I have read one of his previous books The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do with Ken Blanchard. The introduction was written by Patrick Lencioni, one of my favorite authors. Lencioni writes:
· But maybe it’s not something new that we need. Maybe we only need to take a longer, harder look at what we already know but have failed to grasp—the simple but painful truth that if your heart is not right, no one cares about your leadership skills.
· For those who have the courage and the character to embrace the radical nature of heart-based leadership, the rewards are great. But those rewards are not always tangible nor are they guaranteed.
The book is written like a Blanchard or Lencioni book, as a business fable. In it Miller describes the five unique character traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them. I highlighted a number of passages in this short book and would like to share some of them with you below:
· If you want to predict people’s ultimate success as leaders, evaluate not their skills but their leadership character.
· This book is about identifying and developing leadership character. When these traits are evident—and a leader possesses the requisite leadership skills—you find people eager to follow.
· This book is intended to help leaders and aspiring leaders strengthen their leadership character, and, as a consequence, position themselves for greater opportunity, influence, and impact.
· You can lead, with or without, a title. If you wait until you get a title, you could wait forever.
· (Think of an iceberg) The part above the water represents leadership skills. The part below represents leadership character. The balance of the iceberg, the part under the water, represents leadership character. Ninety percent of our success as leaders will be determined by what’s below the waterline. It’s our leadership character that ultimately drives what we do, and why. It is a true reflection of who we really are as human beings.
· The difference is your motivation—your character—your heart. What’s below the waterline colors everything we do as a leader.
· Leadership character is the primary driver of your success as a leader.
· They are important, but the lack of skills is not what derails most leaders—skills are too easy to learn. It is ultimately leadership character that determines our opportunity for influence and impact.
· If you don’t demonstrate leadership character, your skills and your results will be discounted, if not dismissed.
· The most important element of leadership character is “Think others first”.
· Servant leadership is an approach contrary to conventional leadership in which the leader’s focus is on himself and what he can accomplish and achieve. Rather, the focus is on those being served. Servant leaders do many of the same things other leaders do—cast vision, build teams, allocate resources, and so on. The big difference is their orientation and their motivation; these make all the difference in the world. They possess an others-first mindset. The servant leader constantly works to help others win.
· Servant leadership works for many reasons: First, it focuses on others—specifically, those you desire to lead. Your ever-present question is not what can you do for yourself; rather, it is how can you serve them? When decisions are made, you consider the organization and your people before you weigh the personal consequences. “Servant leadership also works because it honors people—being a servant leader acknowledges the different roles, responsibilities, and strengths of people. It is not about who’s in charge. It’s about who is responsible for what, and how can I, as the leader, help people be successful?
· Another reason it works so well is servant leadership builds trust—we trust leaders whose motives are others-centered. Candor, feedback, encouragement, and even directives feel different when trust is present. When our leaders serve, we trust them more. Trust is also a key ingredient in loyalty and retention. The servant leader constantly works to help others win. “Next, it raises engagement—there is clearly an inspirational component at play when we see our leaders serve on our behalf. It energizes us as followers. When you and I believe that our leaders are for us and that they want to serve us, we want to serve them and the organizations they lead. “And finally, leadership always reveals the heart of the leader—even when what is exposed is not pretty. If it is a heart focused on serving together to accomplish a common goal, it motivates people to do their best work. The sense that we’re doing this together makes servant leadership extremely powerful.
· I intentionally cultivate relationships with servant leaders. I believe we do become like those we associate with.
· If you go through life looking for ways to serve others, you’ll be focused on others. That’s what think others first is all about. It’s about getting the focus off ourselves. Serving leaders don’t think less of themselves, they just think of themselves less.
· Develop a think others first mindset. It will change you more than you can imagine. It will soften your heart. You will be a better leader and a better person. The ability to think others first is the foundation of leadership character. Don’t miss it.
· Without leadership character, no one cares about your skills.
· Don’t confuse opportunity with leadership. Others control many of our opportunities, so that shouldn’t be our concern. We control our readiness.
· Many people in the world see events as they are; leaders are different in that they see things that could be. And the future they see is always a better version of the present. We believe we can make a difference; we think we can make the world, or at least our part of it, better. Leaders are generally more optimistic than nonleaders.
· First, believe in your ability to create the future. That’s what leaders do—that is our job. Understand reality but never be imprisoned by it. Reality is a moment in time. The future has not yet been written—it is written by leaders.
· Leaders respond with courage. When faced with a challenging or difficult situation, the best leaders most often respond with courage; less mature leaders, or nonleaders often choose another path—a path with less risk, less conflict, and less personal discomfort.
· If you wait, you’re often too late and then you’ve effectively given your leadership away at that point. Leaders usually don’t wait—they initiate. This is the courageous response; this is the leadership response.
· Leaders usually don’t wait— they initiate. Dr. Henry Cloud says leaders get what they create and what they allow.
· Leaders respond with courage when they: Articulate the vision for the future. Build relationships with challenging people. Challenge people to grow and change.
· Mend broken relationships. Confront difficult problems. Make hard or unpopular decisions.
· Your missed opportunities are often no big deal in isolation. They are, however, cumulative.
· To respond with courage, and the initiative it demonstrates, is one of the marks of great leaders. Their willingness to respond with courage, time and time again, makes leaders different from followers.
· If we’re leading well, we’re driving change. The unfortunate by-product is almost always some unhappy people.
· Leadership character, like other character traits, once established, is hard to hide. Someone once defined character as who you are when no one is looking. It’s not what you do as much as it is who you are—or are becoming.
· Leadership character, like other character traits, once established, is hard to hide.
· The best leaders hunger for wisdom. Decision-making is a skill. Wisdom is a leadership character trait; wisdom informs our decisions. They’re different, but there is clearly a synergistic relationship.
· You need to think of your quest for wisdom as a hunger that will never be satiated.
· Continue to be intentional about learning. If you persist, you’ll be a better, wiser leader.
· A hunger for wisdom fueled by a commitment to lifelong learning will equip you for whatever lies ahead.
· A title doesn’t make someone a leader—and the absence of a title shouldn’t keep someone from leading.
· Leadership is a privilege, but it is not free—it comes at a price.
· It’s about ownership. Ownership in this context is about a leader’s willingness to assume responsibility for his or her actions and the actions of those they lead. It is about being accountable for actions and outcomes—yours and others.
· To blame others is not the path leaders take. Leaders accept responsibility, in part, because they are sold out to the vision. It matters more than they do.
· The best leaders don’t blame others. They own their actions and their outcomes.
· Change the way we see people and the work Before you know it, we’ll change, and we really will feel like we own the outcomes. Then it will be very natural for us to accept responsibility.
· Every time you experience an outcome that doesn’t meet your expectations, look in the mirror and ask yourself how you contributed to that failure. Ask yourself what you’ll need to do differently in the future to get a different result. Identify lessons from every failure—personal, team, or organizational. A great question to ask is, ‘What did I do, or fail to do, that contributed to this outcome?’
· When things do go well you don’t need to accept responsibility, you want to give praise.
· Leadership character is a matter of the heart. If you do all the things we’ve talked about, it still won’t matter if your heart doesn’t change.
· Leadership is not about what you do nearly as much as it’s about who you are becoming—the heart of leadership is a matter of the heart.
· Are we a serving leader or a self-serving leader?
· One, without leadership character, no one cares about your skills. “Second, there are five core traits that together constitute leadership character. They represent the HEART of leadership: Hunger for Wisdom Expect the Best Accept Responsibility Respond with Courage Think Others First “And third, and thankfully, leadership character can be formed and transformed.
The book concludes with a helpful “The Heart of Leadership Self-Assessment”
· But maybe it’s not something new that we need. Maybe we only need to take a longer, harder look at what we already know but have failed to grasp—the simple but painful truth that if your heart is not right, no one cares about your leadership skills.
· For those who have the courage and the character to embrace the radical nature of heart-based leadership, the rewards are great. But those rewards are not always tangible nor are they guaranteed.
The book is written like a Blanchard or Lencioni book, as a business fable. In it Miller describes the five unique character traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them. I highlighted a number of passages in this short book and would like to share some of them with you below:
· If you want to predict people’s ultimate success as leaders, evaluate not their skills but their leadership character.
· This book is about identifying and developing leadership character. When these traits are evident—and a leader possesses the requisite leadership skills—you find people eager to follow.
· This book is intended to help leaders and aspiring leaders strengthen their leadership character, and, as a consequence, position themselves for greater opportunity, influence, and impact.
· You can lead, with or without, a title. If you wait until you get a title, you could wait forever.
· (Think of an iceberg) The part above the water represents leadership skills. The part below represents leadership character. The balance of the iceberg, the part under the water, represents leadership character. Ninety percent of our success as leaders will be determined by what’s below the waterline. It’s our leadership character that ultimately drives what we do, and why. It is a true reflection of who we really are as human beings.
· The difference is your motivation—your character—your heart. What’s below the waterline colors everything we do as a leader.
· Leadership character is the primary driver of your success as a leader.
· They are important, but the lack of skills is not what derails most leaders—skills are too easy to learn. It is ultimately leadership character that determines our opportunity for influence and impact.
· If you don’t demonstrate leadership character, your skills and your results will be discounted, if not dismissed.
· The most important element of leadership character is “Think others first”.
· Servant leadership is an approach contrary to conventional leadership in which the leader’s focus is on himself and what he can accomplish and achieve. Rather, the focus is on those being served. Servant leaders do many of the same things other leaders do—cast vision, build teams, allocate resources, and so on. The big difference is their orientation and their motivation; these make all the difference in the world. They possess an others-first mindset. The servant leader constantly works to help others win.
· Servant leadership works for many reasons: First, it focuses on others—specifically, those you desire to lead. Your ever-present question is not what can you do for yourself; rather, it is how can you serve them? When decisions are made, you consider the organization and your people before you weigh the personal consequences. “Servant leadership also works because it honors people—being a servant leader acknowledges the different roles, responsibilities, and strengths of people. It is not about who’s in charge. It’s about who is responsible for what, and how can I, as the leader, help people be successful?
· Another reason it works so well is servant leadership builds trust—we trust leaders whose motives are others-centered. Candor, feedback, encouragement, and even directives feel different when trust is present. When our leaders serve, we trust them more. Trust is also a key ingredient in loyalty and retention. The servant leader constantly works to help others win. “Next, it raises engagement—there is clearly an inspirational component at play when we see our leaders serve on our behalf. It energizes us as followers. When you and I believe that our leaders are for us and that they want to serve us, we want to serve them and the organizations they lead. “And finally, leadership always reveals the heart of the leader—even when what is exposed is not pretty. If it is a heart focused on serving together to accomplish a common goal, it motivates people to do their best work. The sense that we’re doing this together makes servant leadership extremely powerful.
· I intentionally cultivate relationships with servant leaders. I believe we do become like those we associate with.
· If you go through life looking for ways to serve others, you’ll be focused on others. That’s what think others first is all about. It’s about getting the focus off ourselves. Serving leaders don’t think less of themselves, they just think of themselves less.
· Develop a think others first mindset. It will change you more than you can imagine. It will soften your heart. You will be a better leader and a better person. The ability to think others first is the foundation of leadership character. Don’t miss it.
· Without leadership character, no one cares about your skills.
· Don’t confuse opportunity with leadership. Others control many of our opportunities, so that shouldn’t be our concern. We control our readiness.
· Many people in the world see events as they are; leaders are different in that they see things that could be. And the future they see is always a better version of the present. We believe we can make a difference; we think we can make the world, or at least our part of it, better. Leaders are generally more optimistic than nonleaders.
· First, believe in your ability to create the future. That’s what leaders do—that is our job. Understand reality but never be imprisoned by it. Reality is a moment in time. The future has not yet been written—it is written by leaders.
· Leaders respond with courage. When faced with a challenging or difficult situation, the best leaders most often respond with courage; less mature leaders, or nonleaders often choose another path—a path with less risk, less conflict, and less personal discomfort.
· If you wait, you’re often too late and then you’ve effectively given your leadership away at that point. Leaders usually don’t wait—they initiate. This is the courageous response; this is the leadership response.
· Leaders usually don’t wait— they initiate. Dr. Henry Cloud says leaders get what they create and what they allow.
· Leaders respond with courage when they: Articulate the vision for the future. Build relationships with challenging people. Challenge people to grow and change.
· Mend broken relationships. Confront difficult problems. Make hard or unpopular decisions.
· Your missed opportunities are often no big deal in isolation. They are, however, cumulative.
· To respond with courage, and the initiative it demonstrates, is one of the marks of great leaders. Their willingness to respond with courage, time and time again, makes leaders different from followers.
· If we’re leading well, we’re driving change. The unfortunate by-product is almost always some unhappy people.
· Leadership character, like other character traits, once established, is hard to hide. Someone once defined character as who you are when no one is looking. It’s not what you do as much as it is who you are—or are becoming.
· Leadership character, like other character traits, once established, is hard to hide.
· The best leaders hunger for wisdom. Decision-making is a skill. Wisdom is a leadership character trait; wisdom informs our decisions. They’re different, but there is clearly a synergistic relationship.
· You need to think of your quest for wisdom as a hunger that will never be satiated.
· Continue to be intentional about learning. If you persist, you’ll be a better, wiser leader.
· A hunger for wisdom fueled by a commitment to lifelong learning will equip you for whatever lies ahead.
· A title doesn’t make someone a leader—and the absence of a title shouldn’t keep someone from leading.
· Leadership is a privilege, but it is not free—it comes at a price.
· It’s about ownership. Ownership in this context is about a leader’s willingness to assume responsibility for his or her actions and the actions of those they lead. It is about being accountable for actions and outcomes—yours and others.
· To blame others is not the path leaders take. Leaders accept responsibility, in part, because they are sold out to the vision. It matters more than they do.
· The best leaders don’t blame others. They own their actions and their outcomes.
· Change the way we see people and the work Before you know it, we’ll change, and we really will feel like we own the outcomes. Then it will be very natural for us to accept responsibility.
· Every time you experience an outcome that doesn’t meet your expectations, look in the mirror and ask yourself how you contributed to that failure. Ask yourself what you’ll need to do differently in the future to get a different result. Identify lessons from every failure—personal, team, or organizational. A great question to ask is, ‘What did I do, or fail to do, that contributed to this outcome?’
· When things do go well you don’t need to accept responsibility, you want to give praise.
· Leadership character is a matter of the heart. If you do all the things we’ve talked about, it still won’t matter if your heart doesn’t change.
· Leadership is not about what you do nearly as much as it’s about who you are becoming—the heart of leadership is a matter of the heart.
· Are we a serving leader or a self-serving leader?
· One, without leadership character, no one cares about your skills. “Second, there are five core traits that together constitute leadership character. They represent the HEART of leadership: Hunger for Wisdom Expect the Best Accept Responsibility Respond with Courage Think Others First “And third, and thankfully, leadership character can be formed and transformed.
The book concludes with a helpful “The Heart of Leadership Self-Assessment”
July 7, 2021
I loved the story format of this book. If this book were written in the typical “how to” nonfiction format it would have been boring. This refreshing narrative format was perfect to drive home the messages about servant leadership/ leading with heart.
February 15, 2022
Do not read this book, it made me a worse person
May 12, 2025
I got this from an executive at my job because I have been struggling with my new promotion, she thought it might help my confidence. For the first few chapters I did get things out of them, but I thought, this is kind of what I do well, but then came the chapters that made me feel challenged. I took a lot of notes from this and will take them and I will try to change my heart and become a better leader, even if the title does change.
November 10, 2013
Leadership is a quality we all need to succeed in life, but the true way to achieve it is not something we all practice. Mark Miller outlines this principle in his book The Heart of Leadership, following the narrative of one Blake Brown in a blend of both fiction and self-help.
While the format of this book was interesting, it was certainly unconventional. Most other self-help books outline their ideas in a straightforward way, but Miller's story approach puts a more human touch to learning. When we envision Blake's journey toward enlightenment, we can see how an average person seeking this knowledge would think and interact with the information before them. Similarly, we would act in the same way, allowing us to relate to the principles. I particularly enjoyed how every concept finally came full circle in the end. Even though this approach was gripping, I do have to admit that it convoluted the ideas at times. With non-fiction, as a personal preference, it's helpful to have all the information lain out blatantly for easy reference.
Regardless, Miller repeats the concepts discussed throughout the story and lets key details stand out on the page, so this book still has some feature of reference.
Content-wise, Miller's book provides useful information that can help us grow not only as leaders in the workplace but leaders of life in general. The morals articulated in this story are powerful and can help us influence the people around us if put to use. While we can read it out of interest, the concepts would be even more beneficial if we apply them in our own lives. All in all, it is a book worth reading and a book worth sharing.
Note: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway and would like to thank the author for his generosity.
While the format of this book was interesting, it was certainly unconventional. Most other self-help books outline their ideas in a straightforward way, but Miller's story approach puts a more human touch to learning. When we envision Blake's journey toward enlightenment, we can see how an average person seeking this knowledge would think and interact with the information before them. Similarly, we would act in the same way, allowing us to relate to the principles. I particularly enjoyed how every concept finally came full circle in the end. Even though this approach was gripping, I do have to admit that it convoluted the ideas at times. With non-fiction, as a personal preference, it's helpful to have all the information lain out blatantly for easy reference.
Regardless, Miller repeats the concepts discussed throughout the story and lets key details stand out on the page, so this book still has some feature of reference.
Content-wise, Miller's book provides useful information that can help us grow not only as leaders in the workplace but leaders of life in general. The morals articulated in this story are powerful and can help us influence the people around us if put to use. While we can read it out of interest, the concepts would be even more beneficial if we apply them in our own lives. All in all, it is a book worth reading and a book worth sharing.
Note: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway and would like to thank the author for his generosity.
January 27, 2021
The format of this book as a story was so refreshing and made me want to continue reading until I saw the full picture. As one of the first leadership books I’ve read, it was very interesting and help sparked my thoughts on leadership qualities from a nature vs nurture stance.
December 26, 2024
Non-Fiction
This is a short but well-worded book on the values a leader should have. We follow an example put forth by the authors of a perfectly well-qualified candidate who just doesn't have the right perspective on what leadership is. He is sent on a mission by a mentor to speak with people his father had worked with and helped into the positions they have now and each of them have a lesson for him. HEART stands for Hunger (for wisdom), Expect the best, Accept Responsibility, Respond (with courage), and Think, "Others first."
Of course none of this advice is ground-breaking, but as I seek to advance my career it's good to spend some time focusing on the important aspects of leadership aside from 'I want/deserve the promotion!'
This is a short but well-worded book on the values a leader should have. We follow an example put forth by the authors of a perfectly well-qualified candidate who just doesn't have the right perspective on what leadership is. He is sent on a mission by a mentor to speak with people his father had worked with and helped into the positions they have now and each of them have a lesson for him. HEART stands for Hunger (for wisdom), Expect the best, Accept Responsibility, Respond (with courage), and Think, "Others first."
Of course none of this advice is ground-breaking, but as I seek to advance my career it's good to spend some time focusing on the important aspects of leadership aside from 'I want/deserve the promotion!'
August 14, 2024
This was a good, quick read with strong advice. The story helps the message come across in a different way than it would on its own. I feel like anyone who dares to lead could benefit from reading this book. Bonus points for it being a quick read. I’d actually like high school kids to read this, especially those who participate in leadership groups at school and in their community.
May 5, 2024
I thought this little book on leadership was helpful. I also thought the author choosing to write it as a narrative was brilliant. Assuming it would be another informative “how to” book, I was pleasantly surprised how easy and enjoyable it was to follow Blake’s own journey in learning what being a good leader is about.
June 10, 2025
Easy-to-follow and practical steps because it was laid out like a story
August 24, 2023
Very heart-warming and eye-opening... I had to read it for work, but it was a quick and interesting read!! I had a lot of takeaways!
August 11, 2024
Excellent material!!
November 10, 2013
I really enjoyed the format of this book, and how it was told as a ‘business fable’. I found this kept it from being preachy, and didn’t make it feel like I had to memorize a textbook. It was so easy for me to relate to Blake’s story, and I appreciated how he worked through the advice he was given and how to apply it at work. I think that because the concepts of leadership were presented in this way that I immediately could find areas that I wanted to work on, and felt that there were solutions to issues I was having.
There was a point where I thought applying the five core traits of leadership character would be simple, and I was ready to charge ahead and make it happen. When I got the pages talking about ownership, I had to stop to think about what I had read. I think because I was reading so quickly, I thought I could be a leader in no time. I liked that the book energized me and made me feel so ambitious, but I came to understand this process would take some time to happen, and only if I really put my heart into it.
At the end of the book, there was a self-assessment that I found helpful for gauging what area I wanted to start working on first. I'm sure that I will revisit this assessment from time to time to see where I am at, and what needs to be worked on. I thought it was a handy tool to get me thinking about where I could improve.
Overall, I found this book to be a great learning tool for those interested in leadership. It was a quick read, but it has practical advice that can be used right away.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
There was a point where I thought applying the five core traits of leadership character would be simple, and I was ready to charge ahead and make it happen. When I got the pages talking about ownership, I had to stop to think about what I had read. I think because I was reading so quickly, I thought I could be a leader in no time. I liked that the book energized me and made me feel so ambitious, but I came to understand this process would take some time to happen, and only if I really put my heart into it.
At the end of the book, there was a self-assessment that I found helpful for gauging what area I wanted to start working on first. I'm sure that I will revisit this assessment from time to time to see where I am at, and what needs to be worked on. I thought it was a handy tool to get me thinking about where I could improve.
Overall, I found this book to be a great learning tool for those interested in leadership. It was a quick read, but it has practical advice that can be used right away.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!
October 18, 2014
Mark Miller has done it again ...
In his fourth book, Mark chips away at my aversion to narrative leadership development by using realistic scenarios, dialogue that sounds like people actually talking, and by communicating a clear message that resonates with me. I imagine anyone who cares about their personal leadership ability or who is responsible for the leadership development of others, will find much of value in this little fable.
The Heart of Leadership is a slender book, but one packed with thoughtful and research-based observations about the characteristics and attitudes that make someone a superlative leader. As the subtitle suggests, the best leaders have followers who are with them voluntarily and enthusiastically.
I won't spoil the message by listing either the five core attributes or any of the many highly quotable points made by Mark as he spins a tale of a young leader who has lost his way. Somewhat channeling Mitch Albom, Miller's hero seeks the guidance of an older and wiser person, who directs him to five people who each share part of what he seeks.
Perhaps the most intriguing person in the book is the hero's father, who we never meet directly, since he dies before the start of the book. Regardless, his influence is everywhere,in every key character, and in the message of this little gem of a leadership development tool.
Buy it, read it, reflect on it, share it, discuss it ... you cannot fail to learn and grow as a leader once you open the cover and read the first page.
In his fourth book, Mark chips away at my aversion to narrative leadership development by using realistic scenarios, dialogue that sounds like people actually talking, and by communicating a clear message that resonates with me. I imagine anyone who cares about their personal leadership ability or who is responsible for the leadership development of others, will find much of value in this little fable.
The Heart of Leadership is a slender book, but one packed with thoughtful and research-based observations about the characteristics and attitudes that make someone a superlative leader. As the subtitle suggests, the best leaders have followers who are with them voluntarily and enthusiastically.
I won't spoil the message by listing either the five core attributes or any of the many highly quotable points made by Mark as he spins a tale of a young leader who has lost his way. Somewhat channeling Mitch Albom, Miller's hero seeks the guidance of an older and wiser person, who directs him to five people who each share part of what he seeks.
Perhaps the most intriguing person in the book is the hero's father, who we never meet directly, since he dies before the start of the book. Regardless, his influence is everywhere,in every key character, and in the message of this little gem of a leadership development tool.
Buy it, read it, reflect on it, share it, discuss it ... you cannot fail to learn and grow as a leader once you open the cover and read the first page.
December 22, 2013
I have loved all of Mark Miller's books. While they appear very simple in the beginning, they are filled with wisdom--just packaged in a very user-friendly way. In the beginning of his first work, The Secret, he said that leadership is 90% character and 10% skill, but The Secret addressed the 10%.
In the Heart of Leadership, he addresses the other 90%. Rather than saying that leaders have integrity and character--don't we want everyone to have these?--he addresses 5 character traits that are specific to leadership development.
While this is certainly a book that I will return to (I'm probably going to re-read it in early 2014), I only have one complaint that keeps it from being a 5 star rating: the book does not delve deeply into the tactical steps that a person can take to grow in their leadership character. It has an assessment in the back that lets a person score themselves on how they're doing in each of the 5 areas, but this does not go in depth for the reader. I hope that the next edition will have an Appendix or some follow up work that will address this.
Nevertheless, it is a very good book on the characteristics that make a leader--whether one has a title or not.
In the Heart of Leadership, he addresses the other 90%. Rather than saying that leaders have integrity and character--don't we want everyone to have these?--he addresses 5 character traits that are specific to leadership development.
While this is certainly a book that I will return to (I'm probably going to re-read it in early 2014), I only have one complaint that keeps it from being a 5 star rating: the book does not delve deeply into the tactical steps that a person can take to grow in their leadership character. It has an assessment in the back that lets a person score themselves on how they're doing in each of the 5 areas, but this does not go in depth for the reader. I hope that the next edition will have an Appendix or some follow up work that will address this.
Nevertheless, it is a very good book on the characteristics that make a leader--whether one has a title or not.
September 10, 2025
I loved this book!! It was a short and easy read that taught me how to lead with my heart and how to be a servant leader. I had to read this one for work but it was a great read! Would definitely recommend.
April 1, 2019
A tad corny a tad helpful, but mostly over-priced. Anyone in leadership knows these things, the problem is that promotions happen to non-leaders and poor leadership practices perpetuate. The book mentions nothing about accountability. While the book is correct that skills alone mean nothing, they often become the basis for how people achieve the ends. From the point of view of this book, leadership comes from serving others and it not about yourself. While that is true, the point of leadership is to GROW. The natural progression of growing is achieving that promotion and additional responsibility. That shouldn't come from a selfish mindset, it should come naturally or you aren't a leader.
February 2, 2022
Why do our top performers sometimes fail when promoted to leadership positions? What makes potential leaders different from other employees who are great at their jobs?
In this book Mark Miller draws a fascinating and involving story of an outstanding performer Blake Brown. After his failure to get promoted to a leadership position, he accepted a challenge to meet with five different people each of whom holds some wisdom about the leadership, that he`s trying to find out.
Due to author`s writing technique, reading this book was as pleasant for me as watching a good movie, thus I can`t wait to share it with you. I got fully into Blake`s journey and felt like I grew myself as a leader together with him. Story reminded me, that being a leader is not about some special super powers or skills. It’s about your heart. It’s about being a caring, growing and responsible human being.
Author reveals that 10% of leader's success is determined by leader`s skills and 90% - by his/her character. There are 5 key traits that differentiates leaders from others:
1. True leaders are optimists, who see things that could be and expect the best from people. The future vision they draw is always a better version of the present.
2. Instead of seeking self-interest, they think others first. True leaders never stop asking oneself “How can I serve a person best in this moment?
3. Their hunger for wisdom fuels them for lifelong learning.
4. They respond instantly and with courage, when it is required. They do not chase for being liked by everybody, thus are not afraid to take unpopular decisions.
5. They accept responsibility by being accountable for actions and outcomes –of their own and others. When things goes wrong, they ask themselves: What did I do or failed to do that let this happen? However, they give a praise and “credit” to the team, when team succeeds.
What do you think about that? Does it resonate for you? Stop for a moment and reflect, which character strengths do you have as a leader? Which of these traits you would like to work on?
If you got hooked, I definitely recommend to read this fascinating book and get more inspiration on how to nurture your leadership character and be a leader that people want to follow.
In this book Mark Miller draws a fascinating and involving story of an outstanding performer Blake Brown. After his failure to get promoted to a leadership position, he accepted a challenge to meet with five different people each of whom holds some wisdom about the leadership, that he`s trying to find out.
Due to author`s writing technique, reading this book was as pleasant for me as watching a good movie, thus I can`t wait to share it with you. I got fully into Blake`s journey and felt like I grew myself as a leader together with him. Story reminded me, that being a leader is not about some special super powers or skills. It’s about your heart. It’s about being a caring, growing and responsible human being.
Author reveals that 10% of leader's success is determined by leader`s skills and 90% - by his/her character. There are 5 key traits that differentiates leaders from others:
1. True leaders are optimists, who see things that could be and expect the best from people. The future vision they draw is always a better version of the present.
2. Instead of seeking self-interest, they think others first. True leaders never stop asking oneself “How can I serve a person best in this moment?
3. Their hunger for wisdom fuels them for lifelong learning.
4. They respond instantly and with courage, when it is required. They do not chase for being liked by everybody, thus are not afraid to take unpopular decisions.
5. They accept responsibility by being accountable for actions and outcomes –of their own and others. When things goes wrong, they ask themselves: What did I do or failed to do that let this happen? However, they give a praise and “credit” to the team, when team succeeds.
What do you think about that? Does it resonate for you? Stop for a moment and reflect, which character strengths do you have as a leader? Which of these traits you would like to work on?
If you got hooked, I definitely recommend to read this fascinating book and get more inspiration on how to nurture your leadership character and be a leader that people want to follow.
September 30, 2018
Full disclosure, this is the first book I’ve ever read/listened to on the topic of leadership.
This is a folksy business book with a cheesy narrative, but the messages on leadership in it are practical and doable.
Hunger for wisdom
Expect the best
Accept responsibility
Respond with courage
Think others first
It’s all simple stuff wrapped up in the idea that leadership does not mean having a specific title or hierarchical position because leadership is about serving others while accepting that you will make mistakes along the way, not everyone will like you, and you will need to constantly remain vigilant in your pursuit to be a better and better leader.
The one thing that soured me on the book a bit is that the author reveals at the very end that they’ve spent most of their life working at Chick-Fil-A, mentoring with Dan Cathy, who holds firm that his company stands behind “the traditional family,” while supporting anti-gay organizations. :-/ It doesn’t make the rest of the information in the book useless, but it does taint the project a bit.
Anyway, I paid $1.25 for this during an Audible deal of the day promo. It’s less than 3 hours, and if you’re in the self-improvement and/or leadership game, this is a quick and effective book that isn’t overburdened with lists and lists of information, but whose goal is to inspire you to become a better version of yourself with five core easy-to-remember principles.
3.5/5
This is a folksy business book with a cheesy narrative, but the messages on leadership in it are practical and doable.
Hunger for wisdom
Expect the best
Accept responsibility
Respond with courage
Think others first
It’s all simple stuff wrapped up in the idea that leadership does not mean having a specific title or hierarchical position because leadership is about serving others while accepting that you will make mistakes along the way, not everyone will like you, and you will need to constantly remain vigilant in your pursuit to be a better and better leader.
The one thing that soured me on the book a bit is that the author reveals at the very end that they’ve spent most of their life working at Chick-Fil-A, mentoring with Dan Cathy, who holds firm that his company stands behind “the traditional family,” while supporting anti-gay organizations. :-/ It doesn’t make the rest of the information in the book useless, but it does taint the project a bit.
Anyway, I paid $1.25 for this during an Audible deal of the day promo. It’s less than 3 hours, and if you’re in the self-improvement and/or leadership game, this is a quick and effective book that isn’t overburdened with lists and lists of information, but whose goal is to inspire you to become a better version of yourself with five core easy-to-remember principles.
3.5/5
February 8, 2020
This book took a while to grow on me. In the end, I got the message and understood what it was going for. But I was not a fan of the story structure. I didn’t understand what the characters and some of the anecdotal tandem storylines had to do with the overall point to of getting to the heart of being a leader. (For example, I appreciated that many of the boss characters were women, but it felt a little dated and disingenuous to have a doting housewife taking care of a child with another one on the way as an impetus to understand why the main character wanted to re-learn to be a leader. She, in fact, sounded smarter than him. And then it was even more frustrating to hear that the character’s wife was described as an “emerging leader” in her field before they decided to have a family. What??) Anyway, I guess I was expecting something revolutionary or completely new, or even some practical exercises to build on the lessons that the main character was learning. There weren’t any. There is a “reveal” to the lesson at the end, that made me roll my eyes and ask out loud, “Really?” Ultimately, I thought it was a cute way to remember the lessons learned. A lot of it seemed like common sense to me, and maybe it is not so common sense for someone who is just starting out on the job or interested in understanding what it takes to be a leader in his or her chosen field.
February 14, 2024
A short but powerful book about leadership character, cleverly told as a man’s journey to be a better leader at work and at home. The character doesn’t get a promotion at work, and in the performance review the boss does a poor job of telling him why, so he sets off on his own journey to find out “how leaders are different.” He meets with a mentor who connects him with other mentors, and they each have a story and a trait to share with him. He starts to change his ways at work and at home with his wife, and by the end, he gets it. Then you realize HEART isn’t just where you lead from; it’s the acronym for the five traits they’re teaching. This is a great place to start for front line leaders who need to make the transition from thinking about themselves to thinking about others and the bigger picture.
November 3, 2018
Great read, simple and straightforward, short and to the point. Miller takes the reader on a leadership journey through a fictional story, which I think increases its effectiveness and impact. Miller's main thesis is that effective, successful, and lasting leadership success is not just about acquiring skills, but also about what he calls "leadership character." Anybody can learn (or already has) leadership skills but it's those who develop leadership character that really stand out above the rest, and develop a true following. So as to not spoil the takeways, I'll just say that two different acronyms are used, quite effectively, to relay the point: HEART and SERVE. I recommend this read to anyone interested in becoming a better leader!
June 18, 2021
I finished another good business fable last week, The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow by Mark Miller. This is an amazing leadership book that I strongly recommend. It was very fitting that Patrick Lencioni wrote the forward of this book.
In this business fable the author talks about foundational leadership characters. Characters, which is 90% of leadership, remains unseen, like the bulk of an iceberg. The author came up with the below acronym HEART to explain how leaders are different -
H - Hunger for wisdom
E - Expect the best
A - Accept responsibility
R - Respond with courage
T - Think others first
In this business fable the author talks about foundational leadership characters. Characters, which is 90% of leadership, remains unseen, like the bulk of an iceberg. The author came up with the below acronym HEART to explain how leaders are different -
H - Hunger for wisdom
E - Expect the best
A - Accept responsibility
R - Respond with courage
T - Think others first
August 22, 2021
A very short read that I kinda put off because it was required reading from my work, but in the end, I appreciated the simple yet highly effective advice it gave. Told in narrative form, the at times corny but well-written story followed a young man's journey in becoming a better leader. The book is full of great ideas and challenging propositions that caused some needed introspective questions. Am I a leader who thinks of others? Do I accept responsibility for failures? Am I looking to build up others around me or just myself? Mark Miller asks all of these and more in what I would deem a great little read for everyone looking to improve the quality of their heart.
March 11, 2022
I think the concept of servant leadership is solid, but I didn't care for this audiobook at all. It was told in story form and the dialogue between the characters was annoying unrealistic. It didn't come across as people having real conversations, but more like poorly constructed work ping pong. The dialogue just seemed really fake and I couldn't get over the fact that the main guy sounded just like Charlie Sheen.
In book form, maybe it's not so bad, but honestly servant leadership is a pretty easy concept and would be better in a 15-20min lecture rather than a 2.5h story.
In book form, maybe it's not so bad, but honestly servant leadership is a pretty easy concept and would be better in a 15-20min lecture rather than a 2.5h story.
March 8, 2024
I went to a staff retreat at Winshape Retreat and Winshape Teams led one of our days of training. SUCH good information on leadership. What we were learning was based on this book. I bought a cheap used version on Amazon while I was at the retreat and in Amazon fashion, got it quick. Then as I started to read it, I quickly decided that I just invested in treasure. This book is one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. It’s one of those books I think I need to read every year or every 6 months. So many good things. Highly recommend. Go find a copy and read it (again and again).
March 11, 2022
Simple and great insights on how to develop leadership character and what to do to encourage yourself to create space and improve those skills.
At first glance, it might seem like another business book telling a story that does not surpass the deepness you need to create the safe environment of looking for leadership, but in the end, the story evolves into a great narrative and good takeaways to keep working on those traits.
At first glance, it might seem like another business book telling a story that does not surpass the deepness you need to create the safe environment of looking for leadership, but in the end, the story evolves into a great narrative and good takeaways to keep working on those traits.
September 23, 2023
The content was really really good, however, I must confess... I thought that the fable part was extremely cheesy and unrealistic. I felt the response/actions of Blake to be fairly bland... I don't really know how to explain it, but it just felt like very poor writing. The leadership advice was gold though, and I do appreciate the effort to make the read more enjoyable by making it a fable. A+ for effort, C for result... A+ for the leadership advice... it was gold.
December 12, 2024
I actually have quick start . It’s the pocket size with bullet point and summaries.
It’s Gold.
Considering buying a box of them to give to employees.
You can skim book in 45min but will probably be most effective to do 1 chapter a week. And double up on a few so you can do it in a quarter and then you have capacity do it 4 times a year for a year to really instill it in your mindset and culture
It’s Gold.
Considering buying a box of them to give to employees.
You can skim book in 45min but will probably be most effective to do 1 chapter a week. And double up on a few so you can do it in a quarter and then you have capacity do it 4 times a year for a year to really instill it in your mindset and culture
July 11, 2025
The Heart of Leadership by Mark Miller felt more like leadership fluff than real guidance. The HEART framework is catchy, sure, but the ideas never really dig deep. It all felt surface level or more motivational poster than practical roadmap. One takeaway I did appreciate: leaders owning everything that happens on their team. Beyond that? I was hoping for more substance. If you’re looking for actionable leadership advice, I’d say skip this one.
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